FEMINIST THEOLOGY Introductory Reading List Introduction to Feminist Theology FEMINIST There are a number of introductory texts aimed at students and those coming new to the field. These two, published in the same year, offer overviews of some of the key developments in Christian feminist theology in the modern THEOLOGY period. Nicola Slee, Faith and Feminism: An Introduction to Christian Feminist Introductory Reading List Theology (London: Darton, Longman & Todd, 2003) Natalie K Watson, Feminist Theology (Grand Rapids, Mi: Eerdmans, 2003) Over the past four decades, there has been an explosion in literature Susan Frank Parsons (ed.) The Cambridge Companion to Feminist Theology exploring the interface between theology, gender, faith and culture. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002) – a useful compendium of Feminist theory and theologies have expanded exponentially from the essays by leading theologians exploring feminist theology from a range of 1960s onwards and are now joined by gender theory and theologies, theoretical and thematic perspectives. and a growing literature on masculinities. There are now specialist Several readers gather together classic and contemporary texts giving a journals as well as thousands of books and websites, blogs and on- flavour of the range of contexts and issues in feminist theology: line resources. Material exists at every level from highly technical and academic to more popular and journalistic. Mary E Hunt & Diann L Neu (eds.), New Feminist Christianity: Many Voices, Many Views (Woodstock: Skylight, 2010) The aim of this short, introductory reading list is to suggest a range of recent, reliable, accessible and affordable texts and online resources Janet Martin Soskice & Diana Lipton (eds.) Feminism and Theology that provide starting points for exploration and lead the reader on to (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003) other material. Gender theory and theology Raewyn Connell, Gender: A short introduction (London: Polity, 2002) – a readable overview of gender theory and research Raewyn Connell, Masculinities (London: Polity, 2005) – similar to the above, but focusing specifically on masculinity studies and politics Elaine L Graham, Making the difference: gender, personhood and theology (London: Mowbray, 1995) Elaine L Graham Words Made Flesh: Writings in Pastoral and Practical Theology (London: SCM, 2009), especially part 2 – one of Britain’s leading practical theologians writes incisively and insightfully about gender theory, offering useful starting points Fran Porter, Women and Men After Christendom: The disordering of gender relations (Milton Keynes: Paternoster, 2015) – a careful historical and theological analysis of how Christendom was founded on imperialism and patriarchy and a proposal for alternative understandings of gender in a post-Christendom era. This is also a good, basic introduction to issues of Luise Schottroff & Marie-Theres Wacker (eds.), Feminist Biblical gender in Christianity. Interpretation: A Compendium of Critical Commentary on the Books of the Adrian Thatcher, God, Sex and Gender: An Introduction (Oxford: Wiley- Bible and Related Literature (Grand Rapids/Cambridge: Eerdmans, 2012) Blackwell, 2011) – highly readable and well-researched, Thatcher discusses It is more difficult to recommend a short, accessible guide to feminist both gender and sexuality in theological perspective. biblical hermeneutics (obviously a job waiting to be done!), but one of the following may be helpful: Religious language and models of God Elisabeth Schȕssler Fiorenza, Bread Not Stone: The Challenge of Feminist Jennie S Knight, Feminist Mysticism and Images of God: A Practical Theology Biblical Interpretation (Boston: Beacon, 1984) (St Louis, Missouri: Chalice, 2011) – argues that it is not enough to change Elisabeth Sch ssler Fiorenza, Sharing Her Word: Feminist Biblical our thinking about God; prayer and spirituality as the sources of theology ȕ Interpretation in Context (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1998) – although not a must be transformed. A wide-ranging discussion illustrated with case wholly easy read, Fiorenza is one of the leading feminist biblical scholars studies. of our era, and offers an authoritative guide. Gail Ramshaw, God Beyond Gender: Feminist Christian God-Langauge Sarah Heaner Lancaster, Women and the Authority of Scripture: A Narrative (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2002) – a highly accessible and readable Approach (Harrisburg: Trinity Press International, 2002) introduction to some of the key issues Brian Wren, What Language Shall I Borrow? (London: SCM, 1989) – Women in Christian tradition although this is now rather old, and some readers may find the approach Barbara J McHaffie, Her Story: Women in Christian Tradition (Augsberg, rev. via the notion of a visitor from outer space a bit quirky, it still makes for a edition, 2006) – an accessible romp through church history, highlighting thoughtful and creative study of religious language, particularly though the many roles and gifts of women. not exclusively, in hymnody. Barbara J McHaffie, Readings in Her Story: Women in Christian Tradition Elizabeth Johnson, She Who Is: The Mystery of God in Feminist Theological (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1992) – an anthology of primary texts from Discourse (New York: Crossroad, 1992) – a comprehensive systematic women throughout Christian tradition. theology that starts with the Spirit and the lived experience of God, exploring each person of the Trinity from the lens of Sophia. A big read, but Rebecca Moore, Women in Christian Traditions (New York: New York Johnson is always clear and accessible, explaining carefully terminology University Press, 2015) and technical arguments. Sin, salvation and atonement The Bible and gender, feminist biblical hermeneutics This is an area in which there has been a great deal of critique and debate. Any This is now a vast discipline; as a starting point, there are three one-volume of the following make for useful starting points – perhaps Barbara Reid’s book commentaries on the Bible that every preacher should have on their shelves is the most systematic in terms of working through a range of understandings and that represent very good value for money: of the cross. Catherine Clark Kroeger & Mary J Evans (eds.) The IVP Women’s Bible Rita Natashima Brock, Journeys by Heart: A Christology of Erotic Power (New Commentary (Downers Grove, Ill: IVP, 2002) York: Crossroad, 1988) – this award-winning book offers a relational reading of atonement, including a fascinating reading of Mark’s presentation of Carol A Newsome, Sharon H Ringe & Jacqueline E Lapsley (eds.) The Jesus. Women’s Bible Commentary (4th edition, London: SPCK, 2014) Colleen Carpenter Cullinan, Redeeming the Story: Women, Suffering and it is still a defining text that outlines a radical feminist vision of church and Christ (New York: Continuum, 2004) – a creative approach to understandings provided some of the earliest feminist liturgies. They still pack a punch. of redemption through analysis of fiction. Nicola Slee & Stephen Burns (eds.) Presiding Like a Woman (London: Mary Grey, Redeeming the Dream: Feminism, Redemption and Christian SPCK, 2010) – a wide-ranging collection of essays and reflections on what Tradition (London: SPCK, 1989) – this classic study offers another relational it means to ‘preside’ as a woman, not only in the liturgical sphere and not approach to redemption, drawing particularly on the theology of Carter only as ordained women (and men), but in a range of contexts and from a Heyward and the poetry of Adrienne Rich. range of perspectives. Barbara E Reid, Taking Up the Cross: New Testament Interpretations Natalie Watson, Introducing Feminist Ecclesiologies (Sheffield Academic Through Latina and Feminist Eyes (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2007): a helpful Press, 2002) – an excellent introduction to some of the key debates and consideration of different metaphors of atonement, beginning with issues in feminist approaches to the church. biblical ones and moving onto others. Janet Wootton (ed) This is Our Story: Free Church Women’s Ministry Ecclesiology and ministry (Peterborough: Epworth. 2007) – a series of personal testimonies and reflections from the free churches, useful to set a wider context for Anglican Clare Amos, Rosalind Brown & Martyn Percy (eds.), Apostolic Women, struggles. Apostolic Authority: Transfiguring Leadership in Today’s Church (Norwich: Canterbury Press, 2010) – a wide-ranging collection of essays addressing Feminist liturgy scriptural, historical and contemporary aspects of women’s leadership in the Jan Berry, Ritual Making Women: Shaping Rites for Changing Lives (London: church. Equinox, 2009) – based on her doctoral thesis, a fascinating study of Ali Green, A Theology of Women’s Priesthood (London: SPCK, 2009) – Green women who have designed their own rituals for significant times in their argues for the profound significance of women’s priesthood and its lives. capacity to subvert the patriarchal symbolic order. Stephen Burns, Liturgy: SCM Study Guide (London: SCM, 2006) – one of the Ali Green, A Priesthood of Both Sexes (London: SPCK, 2011) - Green’s second best introductions to key developments and principles in liturgical studies book is a more practical work, exploring how male and female clergy can which includes a strong commitment to feminist liturgy as well as other work together to model a whole priesthood, with examples of good (and perspectives often ignored in scholarly study of liturgy. bad!) practice. Dorothea McEwan, Pat Pinsent,